Midnight in Paris - Film Review

Woody’s Back!!!!

For the last two decades, Woody Allen has been fighting a losing battle. Having set the comedic bar so high with films like “Annie Hall,” “Hannah and Her Sisters,” and “Manhattan,” he’d made himself something of a tough act to follow both from behind the camera and in front of it. The latter becoming a more and more difficult task as Woody behind the camera grew with age, and Woody in front of the camera just… aged. Suddenly, the nebbish scoundrel was no longer hilariously charming. As Woody grew older, the same character that at one time seemed charming was now, just sort of off-putting. Compound this with the uncomfortable nature of certain aspects of Woody’s real-life romantic affairs and it all combined to make the prospect of a Woody Allen romantic comedy suddenly far fetched. In recent years, he sought to address this problem by having different actors play their versions of Woody Allen. Larry David had a shot in “Whatever Works.” Anthony Hopkins and Josh Brolin both had their go in “You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger.” But while all of these actors have their talents, they are quite simply not Woody Allen.

Then comes Owen Wilson. One of the most talented comedy players in the last decade. His pugilist nose and wry smile seeming to belie a hilarious secret that only he knows. Graduated from broad comedies like “Wedding Crashers” and “Hall Pass,” he’s not the obvious choice for the Woody Allen surrogate. But, my oh my, was he the right one.

Watching “Midnight in Paris” brought back the joy of watching a Woody Allen movie that I hadn’t felt since “Deconstructing Harry.” The romance was back. The sharp dialogue and supporting characters were suddenly more alive. And the outlandish concept, a favorite of Woody Allen from films like “Sleeper” to “Zelig,” suddenly seemed less a stunt and more a perfectly sensible plot. And it was all tied together by a central performance by Owen Wilson.

How did he do this? How did the latest Woody Allen stand-in succeed where so many other talented actors had failed? Simple. He didn’t play Woody Allen. He played himself. Wilson’s character Gil may be spitting out Woodyisms left and right, but the being he inhabits is completely his own. Gil onscreen has far more in common with his lovable Roy O’Bannon character in “Shanghai Noon” than the fabled Alvy Singer of “Annie Hall.”

The distractions that accompany Woody Allen, both the real and fictional, melt away and are replaced by a protagonist we root for from reel one. We know that Inez, even if played by Rachel McAdams, is not the right woman for Gil. We can all relate to Gil’s wonderings of what his life would’ve been like if we were to have been born in a different era. We can all relate to Gil’s desire to follow his own dream, however impractical, despite pressures to take a more conventional course. And because of the delightful of Owen Wilson, we care about the outcome every step of the way.

I have no idea of knowing whether or not Woody Allen enjoyed working with Wilson as much as I enjoyed watching the results of their collaboration. But there’s a large part of me hoping that he too saw the possibilities. Just as Martin Scorsese seems to have been reinvigorated by what at first seemed an unlikely pairing with Leonardo DiCaprio, I can see a new string of work from Woody Allen with Mr. Wilson at the center. Not only can I see it, I’m hoping for it. After 43 years behind the camera, this film proves that Woody Allen has plenty to offer us yet. I can’t wait to see what’s next.

The Tree of Life - Review

Exactly what you make of Terrence Malick’s new film “The Tree of Life” is likely to depend on your own beliefs. The film’s expansive canvas covers (literally) everything from the big bang theory to the end of times all filtered through the experiences of a grieving family in small town Texas in the 1950s. But your interaction with the film will rely on more than simply your religious beliefs. I will depend on your belief in the power of cinema.

We are all weaned from an early age, whether consciously or subconsciously, on three-act structure. All our stories have a beginning, middle, and an end with various causes and effects laced in between. This is true from our early bedtime stories to the latest blockbuster. Does Terrence Malick believe in that? Well, not so much.

The enigmatic director behind just five films in the last 38 years has his own set of beliefs. He believes in cinema’s powers of observation. Sure his films have specific characters. And yes, they go through trials and tribulations. But his films never really seem to be about those trials and tribulations. Instead, they are a study of behavior. They are a study of environment, which allow us to draw our own conclusions.

The sheer enjoyment of a film like “The Tree of Life” is not in the wondering of what will happen next. Instead, the film’s power relies on what’s happening right now. The subtle look in a father’s eyes when he realizes his own dreams may go unrealized. The excitement of a young boy allowed his first up-close glance and a woman’s undergarment. A loving wife’s private torment when caught between her children and her husband. In a Malick picture, even the gentle way the tall grass floats from side-to-side is a reason for excitement.

Undoubtedly this picture will split opinions among theologians as to the meaning or validity of its events. But the sheer filmmaking brilliance cannot be denied. A director at the top of his game. A cast that strikes all the right notes. And an imaginary world fully formed. This is a great work of art, and one that should keep you thinking for years to come.

Beginners - Film Review

Just saw a sneak preview of this film last week. In one word, brilliant. This is exactly why I go to the movies. Fantastic script. A director with an original vision. Spot-on performances. It touches on the entire realm of human emotion. A cast of people simply reaching out to make a connection, while the world, and more often themselves, stand in the way. And in an era of studios confusing CGI for quality, this refreshingly simple film reminds you that all you need for a great film is a camera and a great story.

You'll see a lot of your own parents (whether gay or straight) in the Christopher Plummer character, and Melanie Laurent continues to be simply magic every time her face hits the screen. This is the kind of movie where your cheeks may hurt at the end. I spent at least 90% of it with an involuntary grin on my face. Just marveling at the creativity on display. It's like an early Woody Allen movie when he didn't so much break the rules as make them up as he was going along. This is filmmaking at it's finest.

The film opens tomorrow, June 3rd. Rush to the theatre. Or, of course, add it to your queue. Either way, this film is not to be missed.